1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet supplying apparatus for supplying a sheet (for example, a printing sheet, a transfer sheet, a photosensitive sheet, an electrostatic recording sheet, a print sheet, an OHP sheet, an envelope, a post card, a sheet original or the like) rested on a sheet stacking portion to a sheet treating portion such as a recording portion, a reading portion or a working portion in a recording apparatus (printer) as an information outputting apparatus of a word processor, a personal computer or the like. The sheet supply apparatus is used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile or the like, or in other various sheet utilizing apparatuses. Further it relates to a recording apparatus having such a sheet supplying apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In sheet supplying apparatus for supplying a sheet to a sheet treating portion, it is required to ensure that a sheet is positively separated one by one from sheets stacked as a sheet stack. As a result, in conventional sheet supplying apparatuses, there are limitations due to a condition of the sheet such as a kind of sheet which can be used, thickness and rigidity of the sheet, a bending feature (flexion) of the sheet and/or the like. Thus, in the conventional apparatuses, the sheet included within the limitations has been used.
However, recently, it has been required that the sheet treatment such as the recording is effected on various sheets having various conditions. In this regard, in the conventional sheet supplying apparatuses, if any sheet having a condition exceeding the limitation is used, the poor sheet separation and/or poor sheet supply will frequently occur. Further, since the kinds of sheets to be used are limited, the efficiency of the sheet treating apparatus of the recording apparatus is reduced.